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Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit has urged his former club to pursue a deal for Marcus Rashford from Manchester United. The forward is currently spending the season on loan at Barcelona.

The Catalan giants hold an option to sign the United academy product on a permanent basis this summer for £26million (€30m). However, the likelihood of Barca triggering this clause is understood to have faded considerably.

Spanish publication Marca reports that the La Liga champions' desire to sign Rashford has 'cooled drastically' due to concerns over his performances since the turn of the year. The winger has scored just twice in his last 16 appearances for Hansi Flick's side, having been unable to take advantage of Raphinha's injury-enforced absence in recent fixtures.

Petit, who claimed the double with Arsenal in 1997/98, has admitted he would relish seeing Rashford pull on the Gunners' shirt. The 1998 World Cup winner has spoken highly of Rashford's contribution in Catalonia, despite a disappointing start to the calendar year for the 28-year-old, who struggled to make his mark during Barca's Champions League quarter-final defeat to Atletico Madrid last week.

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Speaking via Andy's Bet Club, he said: "I would love to see Marcus Rashford at Arsenal, I think he'd have a big impact. What he has done at Barcelona, after he struggled for two or three seasons, has impressed me.

"The Rashford we know wasn't there for a while and everyone was criticising him, at Barcelona he has recovered his qualities.

"I was quite surprised that he didn't start in the Champions League second-leg against Atletico, although Raphinha has been very good for Barcelona, too.

"Robert Lewandowski, I was quite surprised that he was sitting on the bench for the two games. But coming back to Rashford, that could be something very good for Arsenal. He has something to prove coming back to England and they need wingers."

United interim head coach Michael Carrick has not ruled out Rashford returning to Old Trafford this summer. Asked on Friday if the door was open for the England international, he said: "I just think there's decisions to be made in time, really, on certain things, and obviously Marcus is in that situation. But at this point in time, nothing's been decided.

"And it will be, because it has to be at a certain point, but at this stage, there's nothing to say."

When asked whether it was a case of never closing doors with players, he added: "Yeah, I'm not going on the Marcus individual one, because I think, like I've already touched on, I think to comment either way at this stage is just not the right thing to do, because there's uncertainties, for sure."

"But for me, as I said, individual players who I'm able to work with in this part of the squad then I enjoy doing that, and trying to get the best out of them."